A durbar in his honor will be attended by Paramount Chiefs, Divisional Chiefs and other Traditional Leaders within the Ashanti Kingdom. Dignitaries in and across the globe are also expected to grace the occasion.

The Manhyia Palace has declared that no funeral rites or activities are to be performed in the Ashanti Region from April 8 to 29.

Asante Kotoko and Egyptian football club Pyramids FC will treat their beloved supporters to a friendly in honour of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

The rich Ashanti culture and traditions which dates back to about four centuries will feature prominently in the 20th Anniversary program.

Otumfuo’s Reign

Then known in private life as Barima Kwaku Duah, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, succeeded his late uncle, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II in 1999.

His ascension to the sacred Golden Stool of Asanteman was met with excitement and hope by the people thus earned him the accolade ‘KING SOLOMON’.

Achievements

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who is widely known as a ‘development-oriented’ leader both in Ghana and abroad, has so far lived up to expectations.

His 20-year stay on the Golden Stool has brought about massive infrastructural development, peace, total growth and fame to the Asante Kingdom, which is famous globally.

Education

For instance, more than 20,000 needy students in Ghana, drawn from various tribes and regions, have benefited from the Otumfuo Education Fund.

Immediately after being enstooled as the Asantehene, Otumfuo publicly stated that education is the key to development in this computer age.

He then set up the Otumfuo Education Fund to give a chunk of Ghanaian youth the opportunity to climb high the educational ladder.

Otumfuo has also created a mobile library van project, which travels to areas without libraries to promote reading among pupils.

Infrastructure

The Asantehene’s extraordinary leadership style has brought about massive infrastructural transformation to the famous Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.

He has also contributed significantly to the construction of various modern classroom projects, especially in the hinterland, to help boost education.

Health

Aside from the aforementioned, the Asantehene set up the Otumfuo Charity Foundation, which has played important roles to help boost healthcare delivery for the people.

The foundation, apart from assisting the poor and needy in society, has also provided financial support for children whose parents have died through HIV/Aids, among other philanthropic activities.

Chieftaincy Disputes

Again, Asanteman has experienced total peace during the 20-year reign of the Asantehene, as virtually all chieftaincy disputes had been resolved through Otumfuo’s intervention. A typical example is the settlement of the recently Dagbon crisis.

Awards

Otumfuo’s excellent leadership style has been recognized across the globe as he has been the recipient of several top awards from states and universities all over the world.

For instance, several top universities in the world have conferred doctorate awards on Otumfuo, who is the Chancellor of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi.

Otumfuo has also embarked on countless state visits both in Africa and beyond, where he has always preached about peaceful existence of people without discrimination.

Nana Yaw Berfi (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )